A Stow third grader got to be a state legislator for the day this week.

Alexis Starnes was among the winners of a reading contest sponsored by state Rep. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson. She and her family spent Thursday visiting Rogener and state Sen. Frank LaRose, R-Copley, touring the Statehouse, and learning about state government.

Akron City Hall will be well represented next year when the H. Peter Burg Awards are presented.

Mayor Don Plusquellic will receive the award by this name given by the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce, while retiring Deputy Mayor Dave Lieberth will get this honor from the American Red Cross of Summit and Portage counties.

U.S. Rep Tim Ryan will make a decision in the next few months about whether he wants to run for Ohio governor in 2014.

Ryan, D-Niles, who easily run reelection this month, told the Beacon Journal in an interview this afternoon that he wants to see what happens in Washington, D.C. and what committee assignments he receives. He expects to be reappointed to the House appropriations committee, which decides on the budget.

With more than $40 million spent against him in his re-election bid in one of the nastiest races in Ohio in recent history, U.S. Sen Sherrod Brown is calling for campaign finance reform.

Brown will have a news conference call at noon today to urge the passage of legislation that would address the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which permitted companies and unions to spend unlimited amounts of federal campaigns. These groups can do so without the same disclosure requirements of individuals who contribute to candidates.

Congressman Aaron Shock, former Democratic Congressman Artur Davis and former U.S. Treasurer Bay Buchanan will attend get-out-the-vote events for Mitt Romney's campaign across Ohio Saturday, including a stop in Stow.

The Stow event will be at 5:45 p.m. at Romney's campaign office, 3889 Darrow Road.

Two local groups will offer free rides to the Summit County Board of Elections from several Akron locations on the last days for early voting.

The Tri-County Regional Labor Council will offer rides from its office at 720 Wolf Ledges Parkway in Akron from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Monday. For more information, call 330-253-2111.